


When Did You Learn to Love?

by Acely86



Category: Starbound (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-01
Updated: 2017-10-01
Packaged: 2019-01-07 13:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12233904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acely86/pseuds/Acely86
Summary: Eaz is letting old thoughts get to her again, and Fructose tries to distract her.





	When Did You Learn to Love?

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first thing I've posted on this account in a while!! I actually technically have a backlog of SB fics but I'm gonna wait to post em for a bit and see how you guys like this one first. (warning: theyre all about novakids. I just love the star cowboys 2 much...)
> 
> Eaz's hands/feet are referred to as paws/claws because she has 4 fingers instead of 5, plus claw feet.

Eaz pressed her face against Fructose’s chest.

“Can’t sleep?” Fructose wrapped her arms around Eaz, pressing her brand against the top of her head.

“Sorry. I thought you were asleep already.”

“Not with the way you been tossin’ and turnin’,” Fructose teased. “Is somethin’ up?”

Eaz groaned, trying to shuffle the blankets over her without letting go of her girlfriend’s shirt. “I don’ know. I don’ feel good, but not in a sick way. Think I’m going downhill again.”

The two laid together in silence for a few moments. Eaz felt cold, even with Fructose holding her.

Fructose nuzzled the top of her head. “The only thing going downhill is your sleep schedule.”

Eaz couldn’t help but smile a little. “Wha’ did I do to deserve you?”

“Oh, I donno, maybe it was just bein’ a completely perfect and beautiful girlfrien’?” Fructose pulled away from Eaz to look at her, grinning widely.

Eaz put a hand over her brand as she giggled. “That’s gay.”

Fructose pressed her brand against Eaz’s. “I’m gay.”

Eaz felt a smile crack her face and stifled another laugh. She couldn’t shake the cold feeling though, even like this. She scooted closer to Fructose, hiding her face in her chest again.

“Alright, now I know somethin’s eatin’ at yah.” Fructose pulled Eaz off her and held Eaz’s face in her hands. Eaz turned her head slightly in an attempt to avoid her girlfriend’s stare. “What’s wrong, Eaz?”

“Why do you love me?”

“What?”

“Well I mean there’s… a lot wrong with me.” Eaz reached up and wrapped her hand around Fructose’s wrist. “I mean, I was made to be a weapon, and I’ve been used as a weapon and…” She pressed her brand into Fructose’s palm. “And I’m not the prettiest nova, or the smartest, and I’m a load of work and then some an’-”

“Eaz.”

“Gh- I’m such a mess.” Eaz felt herself trembling like a leaf. She could feel tears forming on either side of her brand. “I jus’-”

Fructose pulled her close again as whatever she was about to say was lost in a mess of sobs. She held Eaz tightly, rubbing her back gently. It was hard to tell how long it was before Eaz calmed down again. Fructose gently disentangled herself from Eaz, sliding off the bed as Eaz watched her in confusion.

“Where’s yer leg?” she asked, leafing through the mess of discarded clothes.

Eaz shuffled to the other side of the bed, wiping the silver trails off her face with the back of her arm. “S’over here. Somewhere. Why?”

Fructose found the battered old mechanical leg resting against a pile of too-large button up shirts. “Here, put it on an’ meet me outside.” She said, setting the leg next to Eaz and leaving before she could respond

 

The air was remarkably chilly, even though the sandy soil still held a little heat. Eaz stood for a few minutes, staring out at the pseudo-desert they called home. She sat down, shuffling her claws through the dirt. She kept her other leg hugged close to her, knowing what havoc the dirt and sand wrought upon its delicate electronics. The door opened and closed behind her, and she saw Fructose sit down in the edge of her vision. Fructose held out a cookie. Eaz stared at it for a few minutes before begrudgingly taking it, knowing her girlfriend would hold it there all night if she didn’t.

“S’why did you wanna come out here?” Eaz was still trying to rub away the metallic residue on her face.

“Lookin’ at the stars always seems t’ make yah feel better.” Fructose turned to watch Eaz pick off a piece of the cookie and nibble at it. “Thought it’d help.”

“Mhm.” Eaz leaned against Fructose’s shoulder. She had to admit the sight did make her feel a little better. The stars were crystal clear here, unlike Germanium-II had been. The only place they were more visible was probably in space. She picked at the cookie she’d been given in silence.

“Oh come on.” Fructose elbowed Eaz teasingly. “What else’d cheer you up?” she wrapped an arm around Eaz’s waist, pulling her closer.

“Jus’ sittin here’s fine.”

“I ain’t givin’ up until I see a genuine smile on your face.” Eaz had to keep herself from smiling at Fructoses butchered pronunciation of ‘genuine’. “What about one o’ yer favorite memories? Why don’t you tell me about one o’ those?”

Eaz felt herself heat up, and was aware she was probably glowing like the sun in embarrassment. “I uh- I only got one. ‘N its a lil’ uh-”

“Oh c’mon Eaz, I’m sure it ain’t that bad.”

“Well- Remember that time I brought you n’ Sucrose out here to see the sunset? The first time?”

“Is that really yer favorite memory?”

Eaz nodded, taking another tiny bite of her half-eaten cookie.

“Well then tell me about it.”

“Way to groom yourself, babe”

Fructose ruffled Eaz’s corona. “I ain’t preenin, I’m tryin t’ get ya thinkin’ about somethin’ good.”

“Well…”

\---------------

“You’ve never seen a sunset?”

Fructose didn’t look up from the dishes she was washing. “Workers weren’ allowed outside when they weren’ goin’ t’ work or back home. N’ there weren’ any windows in th’ houses.” She shrugged like it was just a fact of life, turning to see Eaz staring at her like she had sprouted five extra sets of arms.

“You’ve never seen a sunset.”

Fructose let out a short, exasperated noise.

“Tha’s like frosting on the cake. Never let you see the stars, never let you see a sunset- and probably never let you see a sunrise either. I say we go back and turn tha’ place into a rubble heap.”

“Y'say that once a week.”

“I mean it.”

Fructose turned back to the dishes with a huff. Eaz was still a little grating, but a lot more tolerable than a few months ago. Fructose heard Eaz’s heavy, unbalanced steps behind her, then felt a tug on her arm.

“C’mon, the sun’s prolly setting righ’ now.”

“I’ve got t' do the dishes.”

“I’ll do the dishes when we get back,” Eaz tugged harder. “C’mon, sunsets around frozen stars are ridiculously pretty.”

“I’m sure I could see a sunset whenever I want.”

Eaz let out a short, agitated sounding growl and stomped away into the living room. Sucrose was staring at her.

“How pissed d’you think your sister would be if I picked her up and hauled her ass outside?”

“She’d be livid.” Sucrose gave Eaz a wicked grin. “You shoul’ do it.”

“Have you seen a sunset yet?”

“I seen some of th’ colors through th’ window. They’re real pretty though.”

Eaz tilted her head. “But you haven’ gone outside to look at one.”

“No,” Sucrose turned her head back to the window. “I’m still a lil frightened t’ go out there. I jus’ can’t believe we escaped Meryn. Seems t’ good t’ be true.”

Eaz returned Sucrose’s earlier grin before turning and creeping back into the kitchen. She got just behind Fructose and prepared herself, her leg letting out an ominous creak. Fructose jumped and managed to half-turn around before Eaz grabbed her, slinging her over her shoulder.

“Ay! Pu’me down!” Fructose yelped as Eaz marched into the living room.

Sucrose looked surprised. “I din’ think y’could actually do it.”

“YOU.” Fructose practically screamed over her shoulder. She beat on Eaz’s back, trying to get Eaz to drop her. Eaz didn’t even pretend to feel it.

“C’mon, let’s go watch a sunset.” She beckoned Sucrose to follow her, and fought Fructose through the door. The sky was already a rainbow of cool colors, even though the sun was just starting to set. Eaz set Fructose down a short distance from the front door and gave her a huge grin. Fructose scowled down at her.

“You-” she jabbed a finger at Eaz, but stopped short. She didn’t miss Eaz’s flinch, no matter how small it was.

“C’mon Fructose,” Eaz teased, setting her paws on her hips. Fructose could pick out the tiny tremble in her voice, and couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. “Jus’ look at the sunset. Sucrose is enjoying it.”

Fructose turned to look at Sucrose, who was staring at the sky, awestruck. She let her shoulders sag in defeat, and turned her head slightly to look at the sky. She practically jumped, staring at the sky in shock. 

“Y’like it?”

“I…” Fructose became aware her mouth was hanging open and brought up a hand to cover it. “I din’ know-” She had to look down to gather her thoughts. “I din’ know there were so many colors. I din’ know the sky even changed colors. I always thought it was always th’ same ol’ borin’ color…” She looked back up, feeling tears forming at either side of her brand. She couldn’t even be bothered to wipe them away.

Eaz walked back towards the house, sitting down on the wooden porch and turning back to look at the sky. Now it was her turn to be shocked by a beautiful sight. Fructose was framed perfectly by the sky, the soft colors complimenting her pale orange plasma like she was in a painting. She felt something in her chest tighten and flutter and was acutely aware that if either of them turned around they’d probably see her glowing like a neon sign.

They all watched the sunset in silence, and once the sun had set the stars were already appearing, captivating the sugar sisters. Eaz got up and quietly went inside to finish doing the dishes.

\---------------

Eaz had a small, dreamy smile on her face.

“I think tha’ was when I fell in love with you.”

“Yer adorable.” Fructose hugged Eaz a little closer.

“So are you.” Eaz teased, sticking her tongue out a little.

“C’mon, we shoul’ head back ‘nside if we wanna get any sleep." Fructose stood up, helping Eaz up and back into the house.

**Author's Note:**

> Characters:  
> https://toyhou.se/1298465.elliot-halogen  
> https://toyhou.se/1303124.fructose-demerara  
> https://toyhou.se/1311965.sucrose-demerara


End file.
